Page 52

IMOGEN

Six weeks later

I thought this semester would never end.

“Why do I hate the idea of heading home this time?” Cassie grumbles beside us as we head to the cafeteria for lunch.

“Because of Frankie, I’m guessing.” I tease her and she grins, her smile instantly lighting up her eyes at the thought of her guy.

“And probably because your dad is still pissed at you.” I remind her, and her smile fades pretty damn quick.

“Don’t remind me.” Her eyes flash. “You know, I wish we could just take off, a road trip perhaps. All of us, to a beach house or villa somewhere. Three months is gonna kill me.”

I sympathize but can’t relate because I have three months I get to spend with my family and Drake.

A warm glow hits me as I contemplate how well everything worked out. My recovery was quick but the fallout from prom is still going on today.

The students were told that Principal Constable was called away on urgent family business to explain her absence. For the most part, the students here don’t suspect a thing and life settled down into one with very little excitement and just a lot of partying.

We reach the cafeteria and Siri scans the room.

“I’ll grab our table if you don’t mind fetching me my usual, Summer.”

“Sure.”

“I’ll fetch yours if you like, Cassie.”

“Would you, honey? That would be great.”

As Siri and Cassie bag our table, I join the line with Summer.

“What are your plans this summer, um, Summer?”

I grin as she smiles broadly. “We’re heading off to, well, a place we have in the middle of nowhere. Standard procedure, but in a few weeks I’ll be taking a vacation in Italy.”

“Wow, lucky you.”

“I’m aware that Summer’s family is from Italy. Her folks live there most of the time anyway and she usually divides her time between the mysterious home she has in the middle of nowhere, as she puts it, and her family home in Italy.

“Will Siri be with you?” I’m aware they share the unknown home and Summer nods.

“Yeah, usual thing. It’s kind of cool. There are so many of us it never gets boring and by the time we return to Italy, I’m in need of some alone time, anyway.”

She fixes me with a grin. “What about you?”

She is unaware of my involvement with Drake. They all are except for Jack and Cassie. They had left the building when he saved me and were never told, which is a good thing really.

“Back to the compound, I guess. I do have one trip I’m looking forward to.”

“Where?”

We almost reach the front of the line and a warm shiver passes through me as I picture the beach vacation Drake booked with my parent’s consent. It will be the first time I’ve ever done anything like this and knowing we have my parent’s blessing is an outcome I never dared hope for.

“The Florida Keys.”

The envy on Summer’s face makes me feel bad because of course Luca lives in Florida and she would kill to spend time with him there.

“Say hi to Luca if you see him.” Her face falls. “It sucks not being able to make our own decisions. What I wouldn’t give for a few weeks in the sun with him.”

“Would he survive the sun?” I tease because it wouldn’t surprise me if Luca lived in an open coffin by day and only came out at night. He is that dark.

Summer grins. “Possibly, but as he lives in Miami, I’m guessing he can’t escape it.”

She sighs heavily as she turns to place her order, and I wonder what the future will hold for them. They come from extremely closed off families—even I know that and I can sympathize because living with the Reapers is much the same.

We head back to the others and it’s not long before the guys join us.

It always amuses me to watch the other student’s reaction to them when they enter a room.

Awe mixed with lust and jealousy flit across the expressions of most of the students and I doubt I will ever get used to experiencing a thrill from that when they head our way.

Being part of a group like The Elusives is what has made my experience at Rockwell memorable for all the right reasons. There is never a dull moment.

I smile broadly as Jesse slips into the seat beside me and drops a kiss on my cheek and whispers, “Here’s my favorite girl.”

“Don’t you say that to all the girls?” I raise my eyes and he grins, one that I could receive every single hour of the day. When Jesse was discharged, he was a changed man. He lost his haunted look and became the easy-going guy that Cassie told me he was when she first met him.

We are no longer together. Frankie retired The Claiming and subsequently the rules that went with it. He decided he was done with it after what happened that night and we now live a normal college life with none of the drama.

Jesse soon returned to his old ways and most night is balls deep in one of the other students, but none of us are complaining.

Along with Santi and Ali, they are the only ones who get to enjoy that freedom in our house and they take advantage of it—every night.

I watch as Frankie slings his arm around Cassie and she settles against him, smiling up at him as he drops light kisses on her lips. Summer is in much the same pose with Luca, whose expression only lights up when he is with her.

Siri and Jack are deep in conversation as always. She can talk for hours and Jack is an easy-going guy who allows her to. They have probably the most natural relationship of everyone and it’s good to see, despite how much my heart still wishes it was Cassie who sits beside him.

Then there’s me and when I finish, I excuse myself and head out of the room. I have a date with the principal of all things and it can’t wait any longer.

It doesn’t take long and as I stand outside his office, my heart lurches as I raise my hand and knock gently on the door.

His deep voice raises a smile on my face and as I enter, I make sure to lock the door behind me.

His wicked grin lights my soul every single time, and as Drake rises from his seat and meets me halfway, I wish this would be a more permanent arrangement.

Ryder moved his usual mountain and Drake became the acting principal.

Not for any other reason than tying up any loose ends.

It gives him access to Angela’s files, personal apartment and office and most of his day is spent rifling through it all, searching for evidence that we missed.

The Serpent Society spanned many states, and it’s vital we shut down every strand because, like most cancers, they have a habit of spreading if anything is left and it’s up to us to make certain that doesn’t happen.

“I’ve missed you.” Drake pulls me into his arms and kisses me deeply, his lips fastening over mine as if we are two halves of the same coin.

I tangle my fingers in his hair and drown in my lust for this man, and I still can’t believe we made it this far.

He moves so my back hits his desk and he whispers against my lips, “You know, if you’re up for a fantasy of mine, I would owe you forever.”

He kisses my neck and I groan. “Anything.”

The fact I can deny him nothing makes whatever this is an easy ask, and he growls, “I want to bend you over this desk and fuck you senseless.”

“Oh God.” My breath catches and a burst of wet heat is my answer and without another word, I turn, bending down so my chest hits his desk and my ass wiggles in his direction.

“Fuck, Imogen.”

His lustful groan paints a soft smile on my face and as he pushes up my dress, so the skirt is bunched around my waist, I hear his zipper and I smile.

Yes, I will always agree with his suggestions because fuck me I couldn’t say no if I tried.

He drags down my panties so they rest around my ankles and as his cock presses against my pussy from behind, a low moan escapes me. I want him so much all the time and as he slides inside, I relish every single second of it.

Drake is every fantasy I ever had – will ever have and as he reminds me who owns my heart and body now, I am probably the only one of my friendship group who is assured of a bright future with the man I have given my entire heart and soul.